According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, former President Donald Trump has suggested a potential advisory role for tech billionaire Elon Musk should he return to the White House next year.
The report indicates that Trump and Musk, who previously had a strained relationship, have engaged in several phone conversations each month since March. These discussions have covered a range of policy issues, including immigration, which Musk has recently been vocal about.
The connection between Trump and Musk was rekindled in March at the estate of billionaire Nelson Peltz. Since then, they have explored various topics, with Musk emphasizing his concerns about immigration. In a March tweet, Musk stated, “America will fall if it tries to absorb the world.”
Despite his interest in policy discussions, Musk has stated that he will not contribute financially to either presidential campaign in the upcoming election. However, he has reportedly informed Trump that he plans to organize events to persuade influential allies against supporting President Joe Biden.
This marks a significant change in their relationship from just a few years ago, when they publicly exchanged insults. In a 2022 rally, Trump referred to Musk as “another bullshit artist,” while Musk tweeted that Trump should “hang up his hat and sail into the sunset.” Musk had briefly served on Trump’s White House business advisory group but left after Trump withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement in 2017.
Their relationship has since improved, particularly after Musk acquired Twitter, now rebranded as X, in 2022. Musk reinstated Trump’s account on the platform and has encouraged him to be more active, though Trump has primarily remained on his own platform, Truth Social.
After their meeting at Peltz’s estate, Trump told CNBC, “I’ve been friendly with him over the years. I helped him when I was president. I helped him. I’ve liked him.” As the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk has benefited from various federal policies and contracts, including those related to rocket services and electric vehicle tax credits.
Despite their collaboration, Trump and Musk have differing views on electric vehicles. Trump has opposed increasing EV production and supports tariffs on foreign EV manufacturing, whereas Musk’s businesses stand to gain from such policies.
Peltz has played a crucial role in facilitating the relationship between Trump and Musk. He and Musk have informed Trump that they are collaborating on a significant data-driven project aimed at ensuring fair vote counting, though specific details of the project remain unclear.
The evolving relationship between Trump and Musk could have significant implications if Trump secures another term in office, potentially positioning Musk as an influential advisor on various policy matters.
